Super Region Requires Sustainable Water Supply

Monday, May 16, 2011 7:00 am

On Monday, May 2, 2011, Regional Water Strategy Committee Co-Chair Jim Sellen and Committee Member Steve Miller, provided a nearly two (2) hour presentation to the statewide Florida Water Resources Conference on the 10 year sustainable visioning efforts documented in 2007 by myregion.org in “How Shall We Grow?”

Jim Sellen

Steve Miller

The publication documented a shared vision for the 7-county Central Florida Region, including thoughts on water resources. Sellen and Miller, both Principals at VHB MillerSellen, took the conversation further, and included the Tampa Bay Region in their discussion, elevating the scale to the 13-county “Super Region.” The focus of this portion of the conference was on the need throughout Florida for sustainable water supplies.Mr. Sellen and Mr. Miller’s presentation concluded with results from the white paper commissioned by the Central Florida Congress of Regional Leaders (CRL) entitled “Creating a Sustainable Water Supply for Central Florida: A Regional Solution.” Specifically, the CRLencouraged the exploration of a sustainable water supply strategy; one which would incorporate reducing water consumption (conservation), the sharing of water resources, and the development of alternative water supplies; while, at the same time, successfully avoiding litigation from any parties.

Results of over 1,000 community and stakeholder group surveys, as well as white paper input from local governments, were shared which reinforced the conclusion that collaboration and joint solutions on a regional scale is the only viable approach to meeting our water supply needs by the end of this decade.

The presentation was well attended and involved extensive Q&A throughout, which clearly validated the Steering Committee’s work, conclusions and forward looking strategies. The Florida Water Resources Conference attracts water supply and treatment professionals from the Florida Section of the American Water Works Association (FS/AWWA), the Florida Water Environment Association (FWEA), the Florida Water & Pollution Control Association (FWPCOA), as well as water utilities from around the state of Florida.

About myregion.orgmyregion.org is one of four “Lines of Business” by which the Central Florida Partnership focuses on “Regional Research and Resolves.” By identifying and examining the changing demographics and powerful trends that are shaping the Central Florida Region – myregion.orgis helping to identify the issues and challenges that affect our future.